2011 FE570S Not Charging - need suggestions please!

Hey guys - happy Spring riding to everyone.

From the beginning....I was running a Shorai LFX14L2-BS12 14 amp battery. Bike started getting grumpy about starting in the cold and would not crank over without a jump. Battery approx. 2 years old and maintained.

Next ride a month later, while on the trail, bike started coughing and backfiring and idling like a muscle car and then it laid down. No juice on externals i.e. lights, fan, etc. and no amount of towing it back to camp via ATV trying to jump it would bring it back to life.

Took it to the local Springfield, MO dealer and they said it was the regulator. Left the bike with them, had the part flown in, new gel battery installed (Shorai dead soldier) and gave them two weeks to resolve it. OEM regulator did not resolve the issue, so I went back down, picked up the bike and drove three hours back home and had an OEM stator shipped in overnight. Figured we had everything new so let's get the bike the next day and head to White Rock, AR. Get there, behaves perfectly normal for 8 miles, then I'm pushing it back to camp. Charge the battery and it'll do fine for 8 - 12 miles depending on charge level.

I called the Springfield, MO Husaberg mechanic who seems pretty darned sharp and he provided me the following - thought it might also be of interest.

He says to run the bike with the new stator unplugged and I should see 44 volts being generated in comparison to his test of the original stator which was only showing 26 volts - which is why I flew in the new stator. Said to run a continuity test from each of the three leads from the stator to ground and if any show a completed circuit, the new stator is bad. Said to test the three leads and I should find .3 - .5 ohms. If those all show no fail, then the problem is elsewhere.


He said all that was left other than the regulator, battery and stator was the wiring to/from each component. When new, I wrapped the harness in used inner tubes, wire tied them for protection, used a heat reflective foil under the tank (that stoped the gas from boiling - could hear it when new), and wrapped the exhaust from end-to-end with NASA level heat wrap. The wiring tested out fine from a resistance and from a ground perspective - according to the mechanic who I do not believe would lie to me. He says there are no other relays, switches, etc in the charging circuit. However, I disagree - the keyed switch is in the circuit, so that has to be considered at this point as does anything else, right?

With that history and before I start testing parts, is there a history of failed new OEM regulators or stators? Is there something, anything someone can suggest given I've already spent $750 between two dealers and still have a downed machine? Has our Berg community seen this before and if so, what did we find?

Final question - if we/I determine the new OEM stator is faulty, would there be an aftermarket group I should instead spend the coin with that will give me a Captain America stator instead?

Guys - thanks for your help in advance!

Kirk

Issue Resolved

Guys:

I have resolved the issue and I hope that this follow up/solution will be of some value for others going forward.

When the KTM/Husaberg factory built the main wiring harness, they crimp connected the 14 gauge red/white output wire from the regulator to power five 18 gauge wires. They used an aluminum crimp, then used a shrink tube cap to insulate the entire connection. There are several of these types of connections throughout the harness and as long as they are pointed UP, they don't seem to catch and hold water.

In my case, the charging circuit crimp was pointed down and holding water and caused the crimped wires to corrode. What was so troublesome about this is that this situation allowed the circuit to pass testing on the meter yet would not carry any amperage to charge the battery.

Two dealers, and approx. $1000 later (battery, air freight, first regulator, stator/alternator, second regulator, labor) I brought the bike home and started cutting away the factory harness to follow the lead. Picture 1 is what I found - the aluminum crimp simply fell away once I cut the shrink cap off. Pic 1 also shows an example of another shrink cap that I cut away to check for condition. Pic 2 shows that second crimped connection and what a good one should look like.

I bought liquid electrical tape (used to use this in heavy industry back in the day) and generously coated the crimped connection, taped it up with water proof electrical stretch tape, then used shrink tube. Overkill, but whatever. Bike idles with 14.49 volts to the battery now.

We talked with both the regional KTM and the regional Husaberg technical rep and both reported the same process strategy for testing the regulator - simply replace it as there is not a factory published electronics test for the internal components. I find this troubling and frustrating given the consumer has one of two choices when dealing with a non-charging issue - pay money for a component not known as failed, or cut open a factory wiring harness not known as faulty.

If anyone finds themselves here, I have known working components that I will share for testing as neither the factory nor the dealers are willing to provide a test component so it's on the consumer dime. Reach out to me if I can help any of you.

Best regards,

Kirk

Many thanks for this information.

Great info How many hours / Mileage on the bike

63.4 hours, 1214 miles. Although I've been known to wheelie through a puddle to keep my boots clean, my bike lives a very charmed life as I ride single track about 4 times a year and I ry to avoid water except where I've got a water crossing I can't avoid. This really shouldn't have happened and I can't imagine mine is the only one.